Bobsguide.com Launches New Request for Proposal Technology Feature

London and New York â 13 May, 2003 â Bobsguide.com, founded in 1995 and recognized as the first international, independent, Web-based directory for financial software and services, announced today a new online matching service free to members for request for proposals (RFP) or request for information (RFI).

The new RFP/RFI technology feature had been in Beta for one month and went live today. During the month in Beta testing, over 15 RFIs and RFPs were submitted using this new functionality. This new service allows banks and/or other financial institutions to submit their requests securely online with total ownership over which consultants or software vendors have permission to receive the request. Once a bank or financial institutionâs request is submitted, it is reviewed by Bobsguide.com before the request is distributed to all applicable software vendors or IT consultants.

Bobsguide.com beta user Alfredo Martins, Project Manager NNBD Dubai, UAE comments: "I found the RFI/RFP system easy to use and was pleased with the basic details one has for inputting information."

"Bobsguide's new RFI feature is a simple and convenient way for banks to submit a general, basic request for information and reach a large audience of vendors they might not otherwise have known about," says Geoff Kates, Managing Director of Lepus. "The new RFI feature complements the services offered by consulting firms who specialize in assisting financial institutions with the creation of their RFIs and RFPs".

"We've already been short listed by one company as a result of our enhanced listing on Bobsguide.com," said Sue Farmer CEO, of Verdandi. "The new RFI feature provides us an additional means by which we can make our services known to banks and financial institutions."

Currently Bobsguide.com members are comprised primarily of the banking, IT consulting and software vendor communities. Around 30% of the members are North American-based and approximately 29% are United Kingdom based and over 33% of the members have direct purchasing role with in their firms.

Members can now choose to make their requests public and submit it to all applicable vendors on Bobsguide.com. Alternatively, they can use Bobsguide.com directory listings of over 3,300 products/services to create a more narrowed and customized list and have the request go only to the vendors they specify. There is no fee for submitting RFPs or RFIs.

"The impetus for the creation of the RFI/RFP functionality stems from the number of phone calls and emails we receive from consultants and banks seeking systems which meet certain requirements," said Jennifer Goetz, Global Marketing Director of Bobsguide.com. "However we are an independent and unbiased directory, and we cannot recommend specific vendors. The RFI functionality lets financial institutions go directly to the vendors with their unique requirements. We merely provide an efficient and secure means whereby they can do so."

About Bobsguide.com Established in 1995 by Bob Browning, Bobsguide.com is the original, online directory for financial software and services. It presently features over 2100 companies and 3300 products, and its member base includes IT companies, financial institutions and consulting firms globally.

Bob Browning originally set up Bobsguide.com as a demonstration of the software he developed for his company, Textor Webmasters, and he populated the site with data gleaned from the piles of product information he had accumulated while working for various well-known banks and institutions. Bob designed the site so that it would be easily picked up by search engines, and as the search engines began to find the site and people began to talk about it, the traffic skyrocketed. In 1999 Bobsguide.com was established as an independent business and Bob himself has become a recognized symbol in the financial community.

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bobsguide attracts over 70,000 fintech buyers and sellers every month. They come to us for the latest insight from our platform, to source the best suppliers through our fintech product directory, to find new exciting job roles or discover digital talent for their business via our job listings, to learn about key live and digital events, and to download useful resources such as whitepapers and case studies.